spamalot SPAM !

[Coffee Pancake]

I don't know about anyone else, but getting flooded with inventory offers and scripted IM's from stores (half of which I have never purchased anything from) is really aggravating. It seems to get slightly worse after every event I visit. 

Can we have some enforceable rules governing unsolicited commercial messaging sent via the SL service added to the ToS please.

Existing abuse report option for "Repetitive Spam" is vague and seems to be unenforced, probably because it's impossible to correctly report.

[Chaser Zaks]

If I recall correctly, the issue boils down to them making claims that you subscribed somehow, and that they offer the ability to unsubscribe. Often unsubscribing mean contacting them and hoping they read your message. Only then you can file an AR for not unsubscribing.

I would really like to see this rule rewritten as:

Quote

You may not send unsolicited automated advertisements or subscribe a resident to automated mailing lists unless the resident has chose to subscribe or has directly interacted in a way that they may want to be subscribed.

Any automatic mailing lists must supply a automated way to unsubscribe, either by a URL or in-world object. This method must be included with the message.

Collecting and subscribing random residents who have not directly interacted with you or your provided services is strictly forbidden and may result in limitation or revokation of your ability to send scripted communications, or even termination of your account.

We classify directly interacting as, but not limited to:

• Clicking a sign to subscribe.
• Purchasing a product or service.
• Joining and remaining in a group you own.
• Renting land.

The following do not classify as directly interacting:

• Clicking a object that does not indicate that the resident will be subscribed to a list.
• Visiting a region or parcel.
• Joining and remaining in unrelated groups.

 

These rules only applies to cross region advertisements and mailing lists. This does not apply to messages sent to a resident who is currently inside a region.

 

[Kitty Barnett]

1 hour ago, Chaser Zaks said:

You may not send unsolicited automated advertisements or subscribe a resident to automated mailing lists unless the resident has chose to subscribe or has directly interacted in a way that they may want to be subscribed.

'Unsolicited' isn't really provable in an automated fashion so I'd personally really want the rule to be "You may not send automated advertisements....", period. That leaves groups as a means of allowed mass communication and people have to willingly join those so consent is implied (and annoying group invite spam bots would just fall under the same 'no go' rule).

Not once have I ever clicked on any of the objects that spam me on a regular basis so it's very fair to assume that a large portion of stores with a "subscription kiosk" seed them anyway rather than people genuinely clicking them.

In the last 7 days I've gotten 16 offline object messages and then every other day when I log in 2-5 are waiting for me to actually be online and then additionally offer landmarks and notecards.

There's been a fun recent new one that's actually a full 33 lines of chat history text so yes, +1 for a no tolerance ban on spamming residents.

[LittleMe Jewell]

3 minutes ago, Kitty Barnett said:

'Unsolicited' isn't really provable in an automated fashion so I'd personally really want the rule to be "You may not send automated advertisements....", period. That leaves groups as a means of allowed mass communication and people have to willingly join those so consent is implied (and annoying group invite spam bots would just fall under the same 'no go' rule).

Unfortunately, groups are total FUBAR - not only for chat, but also for delivery of group notices.  I have a few groups that I cannot get automated delivery of notices from no matter what I do.  I have just resigned myself to having to actually check the group a few times during each login.

Not to mention the limitation on the number of groups that people can belong to.

[shireena1]

/me fails to add anything itelligent to this thread by adding this pic...

 

[Profaitchikenz Haiku]

"Shut them bl**dy Vikings up!"

[Paul Hexem]

LL can't even be bothered to enforce their actual rules (see traffic bots and MP stores selling incorrect permissions), and you expect them to enforce new ones too?

Unless they're risking jail time or massive fines, they don't care.

[Janet Voxel]

Anybody else think its funny that spam seems to work just fine, but chat doesn't?

or

Imagine how much spam we don't get because chat is broken....

[Yukiko Yeshto]

I find it pretty obvious that sending advertising materials without consent is against TOS. 

In the Community Standards, prohibited behaviour includes:

Quote

Spamming, such as the repeated posting of advertising or self-promotional content;

And on the SL Wiki, spam is defined as:

Quote

An unsolicited instant message, notecard, texture, group invite, animate request, or object sent to multiple people. This can be sent by another player, or by an object containing a script.

If you take this literally, you could probably see those group invites sent out upon arriving in stores at least as "walking on the edge" of what is allowed. However, if it happens in the store itself, I find it annoying but still somewhat understandable and tolerable. 

What really makes me furious is that one business group that obviously gathers subscription lists from all their participating stores to put people without their consent on lists for their events. Just because I subscribed to any of the stores which participated once or regularly at their event, doesn't mean that I wanted to be spammed with 10+ lines about their event every other day. That is also absolutely unprofessional.

@Chaser ZaksI totally protest against your definition of what would indicate a consent by direct interacting. An obvious sign to subscribe: yes, of course, totally fine! But all other options, nope. Your proposed definitions of interaction that could indicate that someone "may want to subscribe" is in no way actual consent. You wouldn't make such definitions in other regards of life either ("She may want to have sex with me because even if she said No, she was interacting with me, so I will just flirt a bit more until she agrees..." - I guess that example makes it the most obvious!). I define such ideas as "aggressive, intrusive marketing", and I know that I am not the only one where these methods will only create a backlash, and people will avoid the store in question at all costs. There are more effective advertising tools to which people can and want to agree voluntarily, even happily. Think of all the Give-Aways. Not a personal fan of it, but it works, and people have the choice. Last but not least, I highly doubt that LL could implement these options easily because of all the legal implications it would raise in regard of GDPR.

[Coffee Pancake]

Two lines buried in the community standards is obviously ineffective.

I want to see explicit policy with clear water tight guidelines covering what, when, how and how frequently promotional content may be sent. I want it made clear those rules apply to the operator of the accounts not just the spam bot account sending the messages.

I would be happy if it was explicitly limited to groups (chat or messages) as LL provide the mechanics needed to leave any group.

This isn't just to keep the serious business critters from working the wiggle room and edge cases, but also so future LL staff have clear actionable rules.

[Cinos Field]

What would help is to name and shame the spam vendors. Sadly the rules prevent that. I have at least three stores and one event that will endlessly spam me about new releases, even when told not to.

Reports, of course, do nothing.

 

[Coffee Pancake]

Naming and shaming would only work if someone with the power to do something about the problem took notice, otherwise it's just more free marketing.

[FairreLilette]

18 hours ago, Janet Voxel said:

Anybody else think its funny that spam seems to work just fine, but chat doesn't?

or

Imagine how much spam we don't get because chat is broken....

This is hilarious!  

On to topic.  I accidentally clicked on a subscriber when trying to leave a tip and don't want to tell the person I made a mistake as I feel that would hurt their feelings.  So, this is not a good situation.

I also have spam from things I don't know where they generated from as I don't recall ever clicking to accept their spam but it's been arriving for years.

I did find one and was able to go to the place where I unclick and did that.

Otherwise, I have spams that don't tell me how I can unsubscribe.  

[Sid Nagy]

Talking about spam, I have that store that ..............

 

I'll show myself out.